Europe: "Je Suis Charlie"? Maybe. "Je Suis Juif"? Not Really.

To call for an end to Israel, or to its sovereignty, is now, more glaringly than ever, to call for an end to the Jews.

The four people gunned down in Paris on January 9 had not even been buried yet -- four men murdered by a Muslim terrorist just for being Jews -- when Amsterdam's pro-Palestinian student group demanded an academic boycott against Israel.

Not that they are anti-Semitic -- not a bit, insists Studenten for Rechtvaardig Palestina [SRP], which models itself on the American Students for Justice in Palestine, an organization that accuses Israel of genocide. A leader of the group, Sarah (who would not give her last name to reporters, she said, for fear of reprisals), declared, rather, "I find anti-Semitism terrible. We are against it, and we said so from our first informational meeting. I find Israel as bad as IS," she continued, "and I am Muslim myself."

Comparing Israel, the sole democracy in the Middle East and a country regularly subjected to terrorist attacks, to the Islamic State would be surreal under any circumstances; but even more so when four European Jews have just been killed by Muslims, and when IS has not only applauded their murders but called on Muslims everywhere to commit more.

But it is not, it turns out, inexplicable.

The SRP's outburst was set off by the decision last week by Amsterdam's Vrij Universiteit [VU] (Free University), to cancel a previously planned "debate," called for by SRP, on encouraging the school to join the international academic boycott against Israel. This debate, to which not a single pro-Israel speaker had been invited, was to have taken place the following day at VU. The debate was to be led by former Dutch Socialist Party member Anja Meulenbelt, wife of convicted former Fatah terrorist Khaled Abu Zaid. Abu Zaid, by his own description, once trained fellow Palestinians in the use of explosives against Israeli targets.

Also scheduled to speak at the event was the Dutch-Iraqi journalist Abulkasim al-Jaberi, who recently blamed the Paris attacks on French imperialism. "Were France not part of the trigger-happy international Mafioso, this would never have happened," he wrote in an article for the online publication "Voorbeeld allochtoon" ("Exemplary Immigrant").

To their credit, before cancelling the "debate," VU president Jaap Winter announced that the university had no intention of conceding to the SRP's demands; rather, he said, they felt it appropriate that an academic institution provide "open and honest debates over difficult, sensitive, and controversial issues, such as the Palestinian question."

The failure of the SRP to offer a real debate -- rather than one-sided, propagandistic arguments -- was not, however, the reason VU revoked their permit for the event. Rather, university officials said, "We have determined that, in light of social unrest in response to the events of last week, this debate could engender feelings of insecurity and exclusion with the university community." Why such concerns were not raised by the presence at the event of the Dutch wife of a convicted Palestinian terrorist remains a mystery -- at least formally.

Nevertheless, Sarah and her fellow SRP members quickly found an alternative site: the peaceful-sounding Nelson Mandela Center in Amsterdam.

The Nelson Mandela Center, however, is merely the name of a building. It houses the offices of (among others) Holland's Euro-Mediterranean Center for Migration and Development [EMCEMO], a Dutch-Moroccan organization that has been accused of urging Dutch Moroccans to resist efforts to crack down on welfare fraud by Moroccan immigrants. More pointedly, last August, as Dutch-Moroccan extremists chanted "death to Jews" during pro-ISIS demonstrations in The Hague, EMCEMO called on Holland's Jews to distance themselves from Israel. In the end, by all accounts, the evening passed relatively peacefully, other than the arrest of one attendee who allegedly issued threats against another.

The debate on an academic boycott of Israel, staged by Studenten for Rechtvaardig Palestina in Amsterdam, on January 13. (Image source: Studenten for Rechtvaardig Palestina Facebook page)

This, however, does not mean that the issue has played itself out. Far from it. In America and Europe, from politicians to universities, ongoing efforts to demonize and alienate Israel continue. Yet, as Esther Voet, Executive Director of Holland's Jewish rights organization, the Center for Information and Documentation Israel [CIDI], pointed out in a recent phone conversation,

"To all those people who waste their energy now on the BDS [Boycott, Divest, and Sanctions] movement, I would say, first, you are either naïve or really vicious. And second, ask yourself why you are focusing on Israel, and not on the vicious stuff that is going on right now in the rest of the world. If you want to fight for something in this world, fight for the incredible, beautiful civilization that we have: the civilization of freedom."

The recent attacks in Paris made clear the threat we all live under now; but more, they made clear that Israel is the only place on earth where Jews -- especially European Jews -- are truly safe. To call for an end to Israel, or for an end to its sovereignty, is now, more glaringly than ever, to call for an end to the Jews.

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27 Reader Comments

France's Jewish population is about 0.4% of the French total. During the past number of years 40% of all hate crimes, including murders of young children, have been directed at the Jewish community.

My question to Mr. Hollande: Do you understand the meaning of anti-Semitism and the way to deal with it? And, if you do, why have you done nothing to prevent more and more attacks on Jews, their homes, schools, houses of worship and Jewish businesses? Why have you done nothing to save the lives of Jews living under your rule?

We, the Jews of France and outside of France, have had it with your government and the governments that preceded you. Indeed, if it were not for the Charlie case no millions of people would march the streets of Paris, not even hundreds. We are leaving. We are returning home, to Israel. Bye, bye Mr. Hollande and the country that you lead. We are ascending to the only homeland our people has ever had: Eretz Israel (Land of Israel).

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Robert Arthur Gillis • Jan 18, 2015 at 22:48

To be born and reared in a climate and setting of anti-Semitism, is no different than being bred and born an Islamic Jihadist! Both, are logically baseless and evil traits! Both promote hatred and foment discord and disruption! both are destitute of and for resolute acknowledgement and respect of the other, as a Human Being! Both mind sets, deprives itself of developing a capacity for 'free' thought and denies itself opportunity to explore options for encouraging mutually explored benefits afforded by shared cooperation and empathy inspired benevolence and compassion!

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Chris • Jan 18, 2015 at 20:14

Whilst I can see how campaigns against Israel's current policies in the occupied territories can be hijacked by anti-semites, I think you must resist dismissing these arguments as merely being motivated by prejudice. That is a far too easy way to ignore ideas that may warrant examination.

Yes, I would dismiss people claiming parity with the anarchic evil of IS as ill-informed bigots, but you should not use these utterings as a representative sample of a whole continent's view. Also, the enormity of the problem of fanatical Islam does not mean the world should then just ignore injustice under any other name.

I feel there is an obvious anomaly in that a civilised, democratic government should react so disproportionately against civilians in occupied or annexed territories. As long as I still decry other wrongs in this world, I should be free to express this without my motivation being assumed to be anti-semitic.

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elixelx Chris • Jan 20, 2015 at 05:33

...are also anti-semitic @Chris 20:14?You criticise Israel, Chris, although you claim not to be an anti-semite.I believe you...but then everybody who criticises Israel claim the same...they are not anti-semites; they just hate what the State of Israel is doing...and that is reason enough for criticism, and BDS.Now, tell the truth, Chris! Do you really believe that criticism of Israel, the BDS movement, the Zionism is Racism movement are all JUST criticism of the policies of the State of Israel? Is there not a smidgen of evidence that such movements and criticism are ALSO anti-semitic?

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Chris elixelx • Jan 20, 2015 at 18:33

Elixelx,The trouble is you demonstrate how toxic this debate is. You still have to imply that there is a racist reason for criticism - which by the way is unnecessarily offensive. Please understand the distinction between the country Israel and Jewish people. My Jewish friends here in the UK do not exclusively represent the Israel government views. They may share some views of the Israel government and so might I. However, when I disagree with certain policies, it does not turn me into a racist. The knee-jerk reaction to shout anti-semite limits this debate; you may as well start shouting playground names at each other.

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BB Chris • Jan 21, 2015 at 05:23

Please explain how to proportionately attack Hamas missiles launched from Gazan homes, hospitals, and mosques? It is intellectually lazy to criticize the victim of the attacks (all Israeli civilians) and not the perpetrator, which is the Palestinian leadership. Also, the Hamas tunnels that led into Israel started in the homes of civilians, in hospitals, and so on. I see two problems: 1) Anyone who criticizes the Israeli government without throwing GREATER criticism at the Palestinians for intentionally making their civilians targets is either wearing selective moral blinders or is indeed practicing anti-semitism. 2) If their homes and families were under missile attack, I suspect the critics of Israel would be demanding that their governments bomb the perpetrators back to the stone age; the word "disproportionate" would not even enter the discussion.

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Beatrix139 Chris • Jan 22, 2015 at 23:38

We have violent gangs in American cities; all members are civilians. When one gang member shot and killed 3 policemen and 1 policewoman, the American police engaged in a scorched earth policy. They found the murderer and killed him as he fled. The friend who drove him to the crime scene got life in prison. The aunt who aided him got 5 years. Other people got various sentence.

Don't you think when those 3 teenagers were killed in Israel, that Israeli police knew where to look for the culprits, who to question, who to jail, and eventually when there was a shootout, who to kill? Europe was equally tough, but she was tough on people in other countries, and so now she feels judgmental.

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rodney allsworth • Jan 18, 2015 at 17:11

The only way the world can deal a telling end to this Muslim TERRORIST PUSH FOR A WORLD RULING CALIPHATE IS TO HIT IT HARD WITH A WORLD MILITARY WAR AGAINST THE ISLAMISTS, it must be world wide, it must also be to destroy the enemy as a group, it must not be hindered by politicians with their UN sponsored UN rights agenda, THESE TERRORISTS HAVE SURRENDED ALL RIGHTS TO ANY CIVILITY, there must be consensus among all nations, but if any defer for want of cowardice they then can suffer the Islamists in their own nation until they understand where they got it wrong.

PS, politicians must also allow there military COMMANDERS TO DO AS THEY SEE IS NEEDED, WHEN POLITICIANS FIGHT ON THE FRONT LINES THEN THEY CAN HAVE A SAY, not until. or they go live in Israel close to the bombardment of rockets coming from Gaza.
ROD QLD AUST

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boez • Jan 18, 2015 at 17:08

Israel is very similar to European countries as far as the leaders of both countries tax their population heavy in order to provide for the needs of the less fortunate. Israel also believes in the freedom of speech as well as the freedom to pick who will lead their country.

Israel could very well be mistaken for a European country. The only difference I see is that the majority of European countries lack a backbone. They say and do what is in their best interest, not what is morally right. They rationalize this by claiming that their politics are politically correct. Islamists recognize that what they call politically correct is really cowardice. Islamists believe that they can get European countries to accept Sharia law by terrorizing them ,and they are right. A constant diet of terror will most definitely result in most European countries giving in to Moslem demands.

This policy of hating a democratic country (Israel) in the belief it will show solidarity with Moslem countries backfired. It only demonstrates that these European countries will not stand up for what they believe in .This was also the case in WW2 when these countries folded rather quickly when attacked; and then many of the residents of these countries became Nazi supporters since it was politically correct to do so. I'm sure the Moslems are aware of this fact also. By the way those European Nazi supporters became anti Nazi when it was clear that the Nazis would be defeated. It was politically correct to do so.

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Henry Federman • Jan 18, 2015 at 15:03

A lot of Muslims are claiming that what we see about Islam is not the real Islam, well, let them show us what the real Islam is, so far I haven't seen any proof of what they are talking about.They say they might be afraid, but if they go in force, a few hundred thousand go marching that would show us what they want, we might more appreciate what they are, and not bunch all Muslims as terrorists.

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Ora • Jan 18, 2015 at 14:57

Abigail R. Esman writes, "The recent attacks in Paris made clear the threat we all live under now; but more, they made clear that Israel is the only place on earth where Jews -- especially European Jews -- are truly safe."

However, that wonderful humanitarian sanctimonious ex-president, Jimmy Carter, was quoted as saying, that the Jews in France on average are safer in France than in Israel. He was further quoted as saying, ""I think this is going to give a lot of people incentive to look into Islamicism, what is it about this religion that makes it great, that makes it appeal to really billions of people ..." If you google JIMMY CARTER: JEWS ARE SAFER IN FRANCE THAN THEY ARE IN ISRAEL, you will find several sources for this.

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Andrew H • Jan 18, 2015 at 14:09

Petrodollars have produced far more effective propaganda. Israel has done a poor job of defending itself in media, which is sad because they have had a propagandists goldmine in their lap. All they needed to to was publicize all the atrocities committed by the Palestinians and their Muslim neighbors. But they sat on their hands as they sat on their army while Hamas for years lobbed rockets across to them. Let this be a lesson to the rest of the world. Clean out the Trojan Horses in our education systems, ban the Muslim Brotherhood. Challenge the White House and every Muslim leaning government official. Many journalists asked why Obama didn't join the world's leaders in Paris to protest on behalf of free speech.

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Clifford Hall • Jan 18, 2015 at 09:17

"The issue has not played out"

Nor will it while Israel stands. God be with you.

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fofi • Jan 18, 2015 at 09:14

For Muslims to embrace the campaign would be a real step forward "Je suis Charlie et Musulman".

The Jewish victims in this tragedy have all but been forgotten, but if the campaign could enlist some Muslims to acknowledge their support for free speech, we would be making progress. Hatred of the secular, the Western, and the Jewish go hand in hand. Those that chant death to Israel, often add the American flag in their list of hated and of course for good measure, the 'Imperialistic/corrupt' western nations!!!

I really cannot comprehend why 'Je suis Juif" would make any impact as those that are, well they are, and those that aren't would never pick up that particular banner! And maybe that is the difference: trends are fine and thousands felt able and willing to join in the Charlie campaign and I applaud that. But it stops short of feeling similar sympathy for Jews! Shame, the old trope carries on.

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Ariane Hechter • Jan 18, 2015 at 08:18

If my memory does not fail me, the call to boycott Israel was initiated by Israeli intellectuals. I am therefore not surprised that many others jumped on that wagon.

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steven L • Jan 18, 2015 at 08:03

History shows times and again that in spite of all their efforts to integrate the countries where they immigrated, Jews are not fully accepted in spite of being good citizens.What other proof do Muslims need?

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Dean • Jan 18, 2015 at 07:57

I have seen the young Muslim women championing "Palestinian" issues on campus – hand-in-hand with older bearded Muslim Brotherhood professionals who direct their every move. I have seen the white-haired leftists who shout out lies about Israel, hoping that once they subdue the Jews, the USA will be the next target within their sights. I have heard the ridiculous false charges of genocide against Israel - deaths which have resulted on both sides from attacks (war and terrorism) on Israel since 1948 by Islamists and backed by Russians, Arab League and now Iranians. These mounting casualties were/are not genocide, they are the end result of Islamic countries and groups ganging up on, targeting, killing and rejecting Jews who were/are willing and able to defend themselves. The sum total of casualties pale in comparison to the number involved in the slaughter by Islamists in Iraq-Syria, Libya, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Egypt, Yemen, Nigeria, etc., in the past 5 years. Usually genocides involve the reduction in number of human lives but in the case of Palestinians their numbers have grown since 1948 from 600k to 6 million. See the stats here and note that quite a few of the casualties are the result of Palestinian-on-Palestinian violence:

This is not pleasant reading but what to expect today where the world is more and more accepting the rule of Islam. I am so upset to read this and I realize that Sweden is a part of this when they approved the terrorist state of Palestine.

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Mike Magitte Krogh • Jan 19, 2015 at 02:25

It is hopeful to hear this sentiment from a Swede. Who would want to create a state that approves of suicide bombing, car bombing of markets, rocketing civilian targets, murdering children and civilians, cutting the hands off minor thieves, making women wear veils and hijabs, beat women's legs if their ankles show, do honor killing of their own sisters or daughters, murder anyone who says, writes or intimates anything against Muhammad, subjugates anyone not a Muslim, imprisons any woman who is raped unless she or the rapist brings along four other males to witness and testify to the rape, who are anti-semitic and anti-infidel which includes everyone. Would Sweden approve such a country to be established as their neighbor?

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jane • Jan 18, 2015 at 05:41

We look through the looking glass to see an echo of the 30s in Germany, when Jews were gradually excluded from every aspect of public life.This time, the BDS brigade intends to exclude Israel from public life, while mendaciously denying any anti-Semitic motives.

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henry schachter jane • Jan 18, 2015 at 07:12

The Nazis gave anti-Semitism a bad name so there are rules against it in most European countries. Demonizing the Jewish State however is perfectly legal. Thus all the latent hatred for the Jews can be directed towards Israel. It's so simple, why do people not see what is going on?

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Shirley Wolff henry schachter • Jan 18, 2015 at 12:36

The question has always been "WHY?", but, the definitive answer seems to elude the world. Does anyone out there have the answer, other than the obvious? We're G-d's Chosen People, we're survivors, we're smarter, we're determined to defend ourselves, we're unified in our belief of one G-d......these are just a few of the repeated and pragmatic reasons, but, I repeat...."WHY"????

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Harvey henry schachter • Jan 18, 2015 at 13:06

What ever good Israel does they are always portrayed as the people that cause the world's wars. A question: are they any Jews now in the Sudan ?! Nigeria? No of course not, but this doesn't stop these Islamic lunatics butchering everyone who is a non believer? Why don't this group of academics question this and other hot spots in the world? The answer: they are not done by Jews. The way things are going, the only thing that Islam will be remembered in history for will be world wide terrorism, what a wonderful legacy.

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Willemina Thompson henry schachter • Jan 18, 2015 at 16:29

The sins of anti Semitism contains many sins, but in the end it is an denial of Christian faith, a failure of Christian hope, and a malady of Christian love. And was not this Christianity's supreme defection: that the Christian people to whom persecution is promised by its Master {John6:2-4} was not the most persecuted people in Christendom, but rather was it the people from whom He came?In carrying the burden of God in history the Jewish people did not find in the Christian churches an ally and defender but one of their most zealous detractors and oppressors. It is a story that calls for repentance from us all including Europe!!

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gee gee Shirley Wolff • Jan 18, 2015 at 19:23

My heart bleeds for Israel. I believe they are doing a fantastic job.I too ask, why do people hate the Jews? Are they jealous ? They sure are a smart, determined, dedicated and persistent race. In my dealings with them, I have found them honest and friendly.I have been watching for a long time, just what is going on in Israel and surrounds. I have read the Hamas charter. I am convinced that many Muslims want them wiped off the face of the earth. I have seen them say so. So I believe them.MY PRAYERS ARE WITH ISRAEL.

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V.Mascotto Shirley Wolff • Jan 18, 2015 at 21:07

When I was a small girl in Toronto, before WW2, I asked my mother "why Jews were "disliked." She answered, "Because they are more intelligent, clever, talented, and are harder working than most other people. People are envious of them, and can't understand why. They dominate the professions because non Jews won't hire them. My first playmates were Jewish boys.
I sent a handmade greeting card to a neighbour's new baby's Jewish mother when I was seven years old. After she died, sixty four year years later, her son returned the card that she had treasured, to my brother, as I had long since moved away from Toronto.

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Mike henry schachter • Jan 19, 2015 at 02:32

Fair, unbiased people do see what is going on. Anti-semites do not see, or so they say, but they know. Hate blinds the hater.

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